BLANDA BLANK Serving Bowl (Stainless steel, 20 cm)

I've had two of these in different sizes for years. They are perfect for everything and anything. Although they can be used to serve snacks, salads, or diced fruit, for example, I mostly use them during cooking preparation and to prepare marinades. The quality is excellent, and they are unbreakable due to being made out of a single stainless-steel curved piece with no edges. I'd dare to say that these last a life time. They lose their bright patina over time, but they will still look great and almost as new. Easy to clean and stackable. Dishwasher safe.

 

DESIGNER Anne Nilsson

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Lofee Coffee machine and counter mat (Dark grey, 40x60cm)

I have one of these on my kitchen counter top underneath my air-fryer and toaster. It's quite large and made of thick cushiony material that doesn't slide or move on its own like other mats I own do. It repels small crumbs or salt or pieces of food while other mats seem to attract them. It absorbs water well, liquids dry quickly and it's easy to clean. It also look great on the counter. I wish they made them twice the size. A bit pricey, but well worth it.

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PRICKIG Microwave Lid (26 cm)

I really fancied this dome because I use the microwave everyday and I hate using single-use plastic film to cook or reheat food. This seemed like the perfect solution. It's made of sturdy grey-ish plastic with some geometrical motifs printed on it. It's perforated on the top to allow the steam to flow out. 

 

I hate disposing of plastic products, but I ended giving away this lid after months of barely any use. It didn't work for me and the microwave I own due to my microwave heating settings and size. 

 

The Prickig  was too bulky for my small microwave, and also too big to store it away when not in use. The whole point of buying this lid was to prevent food splatters and outbursts, which badly stain my microwave. I thought that the lid's thickness and perforated ceiling would help with those. However, this wasn't the case; so much so that sometimes, the lid will jump up. Also, the lid would heat up considerably.  

 

The lid is dishwasher safe (up to 100 degrees), but you'd need a large dishwasher to put it in. Washing before the first use is recommended. 

 

DESIGNER Unknown.

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CITRONHAJ Salt & Pepper Shakers (8 cm)

This set is made of glass and stainless steel and the screw top can be open to refill. They can be used to store any spice, not just salt and pepper. The cap has two rotating sliding blades under which there is a set of small holes and a large aperture.

I don't use this set on my table as it looks cheap and not especially elegant. I use them in my kitchen when I'm cooking and only because I  don't want to dispose of them. In all honesty, I won't buy any more of these to store any spice as the cap sliding blades aren't fasten enough and  they open easily at random. Besides, the holes are too big and not many, so I cannot properly get the right dose of spice. 

Although I paid very little money for them, I got what I paid for. I don't recommend them.

DESIGNER Friso Wiersma.

 

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Avanti Mezzaluna Chopping Set with Board, Silver/Wooden

II struggle using normal knives to finally chop small quantities of herbs (basil or cilantro for example), garlic, spring onions, chives  and that sort of greens so I bought this set to have this sorted. This works well, but I find the double blade an hindrance, because, although the two blades do a great job, a bit amount of product gets in between them and you have to lift the cutter to chop those. The cutter comes with a complimentary cutting board, which is slightly convex in the centre. Personally I find it unnecessary as I chop my herbs and greens on a large timber board, but it's a nice touch! Both the cutter and board are good quality, just too small for my linking.

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EYmann Jar, Bottle and Can Opener

The product I got doesn't look like stainless steel but more like a chrome-like metal product. Definitely not the refined product you see in the product page pictures. It opens beer bottles well.  It also opens jars, but you have to be careful not to put your finger under the black slider. I have tried it with cans, and I find it unnecessary unless you have some problem with your fingers or not enough strength. In all honesty, it takes me less effort open a jar or a can with my own hands. I needed it mostly for beer can opener than anything but the price is low so the other features might come handy in the future.

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Generic Bottle & Can Opener (5.8x2.1cm)

II grew up with this kind of can opener, and having used anything that has come out in the market, this is still my preferred type of can opener as it occupies no space in my kitchen drawers and it's easy to operate.  It is two for one, as one edge is he can opener and the other is a bottle opener.

I didn't notice the dimensions when I ordered the item, so I was disappointed when I got the product and noticed that it is too small for my small hands. It looks like made for children or as a pocket tool. Easy to carry for camping, excursions, travelling and general use at home. Average metal, not stainless steel, but I was not expecting this for the price. It would have been great if it was a bit larger. 

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Akulife 2-Piece Silicone Air Fryer Liners

These liners are well priced and good quality. I have a 3-litre fryer and these are a little bit larger for that size (see my photos), but they fit well as they're flexible. They heat up considerably, so be careful when getting them out of the fryer basket if still hot. They retain a lot of oil that doesn't go into the fryer, preventing bad odours and the metal becoming sticky as well. They wash well by hand with dishwashing liquid; however, even if I wash them well, once dry, there is a sort of white residue on the reticulated maze base that I have to remove manually with a towel. I have used my fryer without the liners, and now with them, and I think they improve the cleanliness, odour and life of my fryer.  

These liners are well priced and good quality. I have a 3-litre fryer and these are a little bit larger for that size (see my photos), but they fit well as they're flexible. They heat up considerably, so be careful when getting them out of the fryer basket if still hot. They retain a lot of oil that doesn't go into the fryer, preventing bad odours and the metal becoming sticky as well. They wash well by hand with dishwashing liquid; however, even if I wash them well, once dry, there is a sort of white residue on the reticulated maze base that I have to remove manually with a towel. I have used my fryer without the liners, and now with them, and I think they improve the cleanliness, odour and life of my fryer.

Update 4/10/24
I use this almost every day. They get greasy and over time they get stained with the grease and this does not go no matter how much I rub them. They are clean but look super dirty because of the grease stains.  For the rest, they save my fryer from the grease and are indispensable.

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Primula Stovetop Coffee Maker

This is a classic stove coffee percolator with capacity to make 12 espresso cups, which is always double for normal milky coffee (six mugs) as I put two shots in one mug. I have smaller moka pots, but I wanted one that would allow me to fill in my work Thermos in one go without having to prepare two pots, and this is perfect for that.
 
The pot is as simple as it gets, no design fuss. Yet it does the job and cost me half of what I would have paid for any other brand. If you have never used one of this, you'll find step-by-step guidance on the packaging box and in the instruction leaflet (see my photos).
 
I thought that the handle is too small or weak to carry the weight of such a heavy pot, but I found it to be quite OK despite its appearance.
 
I use the pot on a small electric camping stove as my kitchen range has very large burners and I don't think the handle would withstand so much heat. Too many reviewers have mentioned that. However, on this camping stove, as per my photo, it is perfect. It takes a while to heat up, but it does the job.
 
Pouring is clean and easy, something I love as this is one of the most common flaws in other coffee pots I own. This pot allows perfect clean pouring with natural hand tilting.

It washes well with little effort.

DOWNSIDES
-- The inner steam spout spits coffee out if I lift the lid, and it spills out. So the outing is not really smooth and continuous.
-- Although made of traditional aluminum, it is quite light and the metal feels weak and cheap. The filter perforated base clunks a bit, as that's because the filter is not made in one piece, and, to me, that's a recipe for further disaster.
-- I haven't used this on a large cook-top burner because it would melt the handle. Too many reviews on that for me to ignore. It is also the first impression I got when I opened the box. Like, I checked the reviews afterwards and found that to be the case.  

IN SHORT
A family-sized moka pot, basic in design but does the job if you have a small cook-top burner (gas or electric) at a great price. I will update this review in the future, if necessary. 

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Drano Kitchen Max Gel Drain Cleaner 770mL

I've used this product in several occasions as my kitchen sink has old pipes and a slow drain and, when I run the water continuously, the sink cannot cope and the water pools and bubbles up. I've  tried other products in the past and I barely got any result. I've used this and the slow drainage stops. Half of the bottle is what I need and what the package recommends to use. However, unlike the instructions on the package, I leave the product in for at least an hour, not the 15-30 minutes recommended as I did this in the past and didn't work as well. I got the bottle today, I used upon arrival, and my sink drains normally. 

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English Tea Shop Gift Pack Your Wellness Collection Light Blue 36 Sachets, 54 g

I'll be honest, I bought this tea pack because I love the tin box and I wanted to add it to my collection of ETS tins at home. The illustrations and overall quality of the tin are just beautiful and I use this one to store craft materials. It's not just that I wanted to have the tin, I knew beforehand that I would get good-quality organic herbal-blend tisane teas. The varieties in this pack didn't disappoint me. They are beautiful light enjoyable clean teas with no caffeine, so I drink them in the evening without a worry; now that's Winter I drink these teas instead of water as they are hot, healthy and taste good. The labeling information on the tin and the way it's displayed are excellent, something I don't take for granted. 

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Vegeta Chicken Stock Powder 200 gms

This is a staple in my kitchen pantry. There are many reasons for it. The first is that this is large good-value jar with plenty of product in it. The second is that the flavor is good so it lifts all the dishes I add it to; it has a good amount of salt (even if the jar says 'reduced') so I don't add salt to my dishes if I'm using this stock powder. The third is that, as it is powder, not cubes, I can add the right amount of product without wasting anything.  Fourth, the inner foil-lining keeps the product fresh and aromatic for a long time and the jar lasts me for months. Fifth and last, it has no MSG.
 
DOWNSIDES
Barely any chicken in it (1%). It's mostly veggies, spices, fats and oils, as per the list of ingredients on the jar back. Also it is sold as 'no added flavours' but the list of ingredients shows 'flavour (chicken)' so what does this mean?
 
It tends to solidify after using a wet spoon or after a long time of no use, but the 'caking' is easily broken down with a fork.
 
The jar small lettering is barely legible due to the lack of contrast between the lettering and the yellow background so I use a magnifying glass to read anything written in it.
 
MIND
I don't use to drink it, just as a cooking condiment, so I cannot comment on the taste as a drinkable broth.

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G-Fresh G-Fresh Himalayan Pink Salt, 100 g

This is a good Himalayan pink salt, in a  good-quality plastic grinder at a great price. My only 'but' is not the salt per se, which is good, but the container cap. The grinder cap cannot be unscrewed, something I wanted to empty out one of the jars I bought; however, I had to cut the container jar body with a sharp knife for me able to do so. For the rest, very happy with the product quality and price.

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Heaven Dragon Oolong Tea, 100 Tea Bags

I love this Oolong tea brand. I have been using it for months and is one of my fav morning teas or when I want something that is not too heavy on my stomach. It is full of flavor but not strong at all. I tend to add a drop of skim milk and it is perfect. This 100-bag package has an amazing price, too.

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Glad to be Green Compostable Bake & Cooking Paper, 15 Metres

This is a good quality baking paper. I use it mostly as a mat on my craft table to protect the table and also to apply my acrylic paints directly on without worrying it would go on to the table. This is so because the paper has a glossy side that seems to be waterproof. I also use it as a mat inside my microwave so that it protects its floor from spills and drops from the food I reheat or defrost there. It is very versatile. Ironically, I don't use baking paper for paper so I cannot comment on the use in the oven. The cutter is good and the sheets are cut out simply and neatly. The main downside of the roll is the width of the paper, which I'd like it to be larger. Also, the fact that is compostable makes it weaker and I prefer the average parchment paper for my microwave as this compostable version gets damaged quicker and doesn't withstand as much oil or liquid as the other. For the rest if fits the purpose.

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Olive Oil Sprayer for Cooking

This oil spray bottle looks stylish and expensive and, beforehand, this was what I was looking for. The glass bottle is good quality but has a very small mouth, so I had to use a tiny funnel to fill it in. The top part. which is the pump and spray, looks metallic but it's actually good-looking cheap plastic, and badly assembled. I put rice bran oil in it, which is lighter than other oils, and the pump would not pump it up or spray. The top seemed a bit loose, so I tried to move it in different ways to see if it would work but without any luck. Besides, The photo of the bottle on the container box doesn't match what I received as the middle 'neck' is missing, so I wonder whether this is the issue that prevents the pump from working. I had to empty and wash the bottle as I will be returning it. Most disappointed.

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MASTERPRO MPHB8 Loaf Bakeware Pan Carbon Steel/Black

This a good quality oven tray. I don't use it for bread just to roast veggies. It is quite large, like a fifth larger than most average bread pans out there. See my photo to see the difference. Very easy to use, and it doesn't stick. It cleans super-easy, just with a bit of soapy water even when I put lots of oil in it. Great value for money.

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Avanti Cheese Cloth, White

I bought this to use it in my mixed media projects, so I cannot comment on how it works for cheese making or cooking.

I have used it both to create rugged textured backgrounds and elements of decoration and I'm very pleased with the results. It needs heavy gel medium to glue it to the paper. I'd say it's not the best cloth for mixed media, but it's very good nevertheless. I've uploaded a photo of a project I'm working on, which has the background made of this cloth as well as the 'nest', tinted with different ink sprays. It absorbs inks beautifully with little amount of ink used.

For the rest, it's great value for money as this is a quite large piece of cloth.

The only downside for mixed media it is that that the gaping between threads is quite large, which makes the handling of the fabric on projects a bit annoying.

For the rest, quite happy with the product.

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PinRui Silicone Baking Mat,60 x 40cm

This is the third product I buy to use as craft mat on my table and I finally got what I was looking for. As my craft is painting and collage, I need something that can protect my table and it's easy to clean from any painting, medium, gesso or craft paste so that it doesn't look crappy when I'm not working on it. This mat fits the bill.

This silicone mat has a velvety touchy surface, it is super easy to clean with a simple antibacterial or household wipe, and it can be removed or folded when not needed. It doesn't bend, slide or wrinkle when I work on it. I placed my laptop on it just to see how the silicone reacts to the heat, and the surface wasn't affected. The black colour makes it perfect for my studio minimalist decor and neutral tones.

This mat comes with a carry bag perfect to fold it and put it away when necessary. For the sizing, see the mat against my cutting mat. As I use it very often, I might update this review if I find any noticeable downfall. So far, I'm very pleased.

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Lehom Silicone Stretch Lids 6 Pack Bowl Covers

I bought this set as I was using e a lot of plastic film and I'm environmentally conscious. This set is great value for money, good quality silicone and it comes in a good selection of sizes. the material stretches easily over round, square and rectangular containers and doesn't deform. Each piece has some sort of handless or tabs that help with the stretching, which is really handy. They clean easily and I can throw them anywhere as they're flat and flexible so they can be fit in very small spaces.

I don't particularly like the colour as it prevents me from seeing what's in the container. Also, I think that the two larger lids are too close in size, and I would have loved a bigger difference in sizes between these two.

For the rest, very happy with my purchase.

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